NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has come forward with a new development regarding the Voyager 2 spacecraft it sent into space. According to an announcement made early today, Voyager 2 has lost its ability to receive commands due to a change in antenna orientation. As a result, the spacecraft is unable to transmit data back to Earth. Here are the details!
Voyager 2’s antenna is facing a 2-degree change!
NASA launched the unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft into space in 1977 with its primary mission being to gather information from Jupiter and Saturn. However, according to the recent news from the space agency, things are not going quite as planned. A series of commands triggered a 2-degree change in the spacecraft’s antenna orientation, leading to the communication issue.
In its statement, NASA pointed out that this triggering event has prevented the Voyager spacecraft from receiving commands and transmitting data back to Earth. The agency stated that the anomaly disrupted the spacecraft’s ability to communicate with the ground antennas operated by the Deep Space Network (DSN). Furthermore, NASA revealed that the spacecraft has also been unable to receive commands from its mission team on Earth.
NASA allocates $150 million in funding to eleven cutting-edge space tech companies, including Blue Origin and Astrobotic.
NASA explained that Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation to keep its antenna pointed towards Earth multiple times each year. This procedure is particularly helpful in reestablishing lost communication and allowing routine operations to continue. The next reset is scheduled to take place in 79 days.
Despite the communication interruption, the team is confident that Voyager 2 will remain on its planned trajectory. Additionally, NASA noted that Voyager 1, located approximately 24 billion kilometers away from Earth, is functioning normally despite the situation.
Voyager 2 is located at a distance of approximately 19.9 billion kilometers from Earth. It is also continuously moving towards the depths of interstellar space. Additionally, Voyager 1 holds the record for being the farthest human-made object from Earth.
So, what do you think about the NASA Voyager 2 spacecraft? Don’t forget to share your opinions with us in the comments section!
